Pawns or Kings of Men
by Epona Regina
Summary: Alexandra Thurston has her own part to play in life, although she never quite imagined it would be in a time different from her own. Updated, please Review!
1. Tea, please

Disclaimer: I own no rights to any of the characters of the Patriot etc.

Chapter I: No need for pleasantries

It's late at night, the moonlight putting a silver glaze on all that it reaches…the surroundings so seductive, the soft light seems to wrap up all it touches in a velvety embrace, making the night all the more potent for false promises and tender caresses. A man leans in to a giggling girl, a coy smile lurking in the corner of her mouth as the handsome male leans in to…

CRASH

"What the…?" the man stares at the floor above him, a more than annoyed girl glaring at his head as he continues to gaze at the ceiling. Chewing the corner of her mouth, she shakes her blonde hair and looks at her watch sitting on skin so orange, it was bordering on radioactive. She hadn't gotten laid in a week, putting on her best seductive voice "Come on," she whispers, "we're going to mine." The man, mouth open, gets led out the building wondering what the hell was happening in the apartment above his.

Meanwhile…

A lone figure sits at a small kitchen table, one hand covering her eyes whilst the other reaches out instinctively for a hot tea, ignorant of the mess surrounding her. Mess being the understatement, the source of the noise, a laptop—or, the various pieces of a laptop, lie in the corner in a pathetic heap. Various articles of clothing are strewn over the room, plates piled up in the sink so high, it could pass for an artistic interpretation of the leaning tower of Pisa.

The right arm stops its futile attempts in searching for a hot beverage and a low mumble comes out of the blonde haired girl sitting at the table "I…need…tea." Sighing deeply, she stands up and walks over to the kettle, filling it with hot water. "God this place is an absolute tip…I need a cigarette" Reaching into the drawer and finding none, it brings an enraged yell "BLOODY HELL!" _Right….desperate times call for desperate measures…where's that emergency pack I had hidden in here?_ Frantically searching through the contents of various cupboards and drawers she grasps out a packet in victory as she walks over to the window.

Smiling down at the wrapped packet, she unwraps it and takes out a single stick, "Sweet, sweet nicotine…how you ease the pain." Lighting up, she surveys the people walking below her; a girls shouting at her partner 'Look at you, you're bleeding pissed, that's what you are. Stumbling all over the place you stupid sod!' Taking a last drag, she breathes it out chuckling "Ah London, a touch of class." Throwing the fag out into the streets, she closes the window and walks back in, surveys the mess with utter disgust, and makes a beeline for the bathroom.

Turning on the shower, the gods have been kind and have given her steaming water. _That would have been the last thing I needed._ Relishing the warmth, she finishes and puts on bathrobe and walks back into the kitchen.

_Ick. Mum's right, I should search for a cleaner….Right, phone, lets see how popular I am today…_ Twelve missed calls flash on screen

_Right…Daddy's called, Mum's called about 5 times, not talking to you…or…you…or ick, no…oh. I'm going to be slaughtered, it's the third time I've forgotten to show for dinner…Andrew's going to kill me_. Taking a long swig of tea, she hits 'redial' and waits for the shouting to ensure.

Silence. Tentatively she puts the phone to her ear…'Hello?'

"Hey! Good to hear from you, listen about tomorrow…" _Phew…not completely off track then, wait! Alex, get back to reality! Remember Hitch, listen and respond, listen and "_Yeah?" "Great, see you at 7 then. Take care, wish I could hold you in my arms." "Oh," she grimaces "yeah, sounds…wonderful wish I could do…that…bye" And hung up.

_Why do boys always feel they need to protect their girlfriends? Are we that pathetic and weak? Urgh, I wish he could see that I did quite fine before he was in the picture and I'll be dandy after. I'm the girl, aren't I meant to be the soppy one? Guess not…_

She throws a nonchalant glance at the former laptop and shrugs. _Eh, it deserved it. Now I've got to write up everything…again. I need a new machine, these bloody internet cafés just don't cut it._

She shifts through two weeks worth of mail and finds a letter that was mysteriously devoid of the signs screaming 'PAY ME!'

_Hmm…lets see, 'Dear Ms.' MS? MISS DAMMIT…anyway…yadda yadda yadda would like to invite you to….Interesting._

She considered the letter's proposal that she come down to South Carolina to evaluate a few items they had at the plantation there. _Great, three years studying history at one of the best universities in the world and THIS is the best thing that comes along since…ah well, the only things that keep me sane are the items themselves._

There was a number at the bottom. Frowning, she considered the offer: a decent pay, free accommodation in the plantation itself, and she could see some of the Southern US, she knew New York and Boston quite well considering her parents had residences at both.

But still, something didn't seem quite right. Why had they written to her, of all people, or was it just a mass circulation? _Most likely…_Against her better feelings, she dialled the number and waited.

End Chapter I


	2. Of which we are so informally introduced

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Patriot, all rights are reserved to the respective owners etc.

Alex stretched her arms out and took in a large breath of air, it felt good to not have her knees and ears touching one another _I HATE long haul flights_, she made a mental note NOT to forget a sleeping tablet next time. As a result, she had to listen to the panicked talk of a first-time traveller sitting next to her…the whole eight hours.

Hailing a cab, she bent her head down to the window "Hey, can you take me to Middleton Place please?' The taxi driver smiled and said "Anything for you babycheeks, hop on in."

_Babycheeks...American charm at its finest. I'm in hell._

Thankfully, the journey was blissfully short. Paying the man, she stood out and unloaded all her various bags with books and clothes and stood out looking at the building in front of her. _Not bad, should be quite interesting…eh, lets go check it out._

Entering the building she called out "Hello?" A few moments later, she heard a shuffling and a door opened to her right. "Welcome to Middleton Place, I'm Georgia Middleton and owner of the residence. You must be Alexandra Thurston, follow me." She said sweeping imperiously out of the entrance and into the next room. Alex turned muttering under her breath about southern hospitality and started hoisting the bags onto her back. "Oh, leave those. They'll be taken to your room." She stated taking in Alex's dishevelled appearance with a distasteful look pulling down the corners of her wrinkly lips. Leading into another room, she sat down on a red armchair behind an ornately carved desk. "Please, sit. Now I hear from a good friend of mine, your former professor, that you were one of his most _able _students..." She strung out the _able_ with a look that clearly said 'yeah, right.' _You knew Earheart?…that would explain the letter. _Alex began to zone out, as the monologue continued but was sharply brought back to reality when Mrs. Middleton mentioned food "breakfast will be served at eight o'clock sharp" she drawled _Lady, just get to the bloody point. When will I start?_ "All the items are in the next room, I want a concise evaluation on their origins, price etc. You _can_ do that, can't you?" she glared. _Nah, this was just a piss-take_, but Alex forced the politest voice she could and said instead "Of course, madam."

"Good, I shall see you tomorrow morning. One of the…help, will come and wake you." She said sitting back with a satisfied look settling on her plump features.

_My pleasure, miserable little toad._ Taking this as a sign of dismissal, she inclined her head and walked out into the room where she was led by one of the maids to her bedroom.

Shutting the door, Alex turned, smiled and ran towards the bed leaping into the air and landing on the soft, lush bed. "Sweet, sweet pillow, I'm going to looooooove you" she said as she kicked off her shoes and proceeded to pass out.

The next day, Alex was led to a room with about fifty different items strewn about the place. _You have got to be kidding me, ARGH. This will take a while…_ "Can I get you anything, miss?" the young girl asked.

"No, I'm quite alright thank you. Wait, perhaps a glass of water?"

"Certainly." She left the room and shut the door with a soft click.

6 hours later…

Four cups of tea, two coffees and 5 glasses of water later, Alex retied her blonde hair into a ponytail and stood up. _Don't think she'll get too pissed off if I take a break. I'd like to look around the building for a little bit, see what's in here._ She stood and wandered into the various rooms, her old childhood curiosity of antiques coming alive again as she walked around the various floors. Stopping, she saw an old book on a stand. Checking to make sure there was no one nearby, she flipped the cover, wondering what was contained in the leather-bound pages.

Suddenly, a wind came and blew throughout the room, causing Alex to clutch her arms towards her. The summer breeze had been warm and comforting before, but for some reason panic started to fill her mind. Not easing her worries was the sight of a raven perched outside the window, which promptly squawked out "NEVERMORE"

_Quoth the raven…_Shouting, Alex jumped up "Stupid bird, why do you have to be so bloody good with your timing. Damn irony…huh?" she said turning around and looking at the book that began to glow. Backing away slowly _Hell, I'm in deep sh…_ but she couldn't finish her thought, as the light hit her, and all went black.

"OOMPF!" she gasped out as she was thrown back against the wall. "Urgh, my head. It feels like there are fifty hammers banging at the same time. Oh!" she gasped as she realised that there were six men looking at her as if she had grown an extra head. Standing up, she held out her hand, unsure of what one does when they're thrown into a room with six men in period costume "Hello, sorry about that. I don't know quite what happened there, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex Thurston and…" she halted, as they had not moved or shut their mouths since she had started speaking. "Right…" Alex lowered her hand, and opted for the next best option. She ran.

She knocked heads with another man in period costume that had been standing outside the door, complete with an old-fashioned musket that tumbled as a result of their collision. "So sorry, allow me to…" she started, holding out her hand but a cry behind her startled her "Catch that man!" Alex turned and looked quizzically at the man who had shouted this, older than the others he stood over the desk pointing a finger right at Alex. "There must be some mistake, I…" but she never had time to finish her sentence as nine different figures started to give chase.

_BLOODY HELL, I've got to get out of here_. Alex turned and sprinted down the stairs, and out of the main door right into a platoon of soldiers. Not wasting any time, she ran towards the woods on the left, musket shots firing above her head. "Christ, what's going on? Is this legal? Stupid second amendment, they should revise their constitution." She gasped for air as she heard soldiers shouting to one another. Peering round the tree, she saw the men from the room, as well as various infantry accompanying them.

"She's going to be in their somewhere, come out and you shall not be harmed." Said a man, who by judging by his uniform was a high-ranking officer. _A general, no less_._ Hmm. This does get more and more interesting._

"Wait!" shouted another. A man in a red coat with green decorations turned around and promptly fired at the tree Alex was hiding behind. Not one to wait for pleasantries, she bolted further into the woods. She kept pushing onwards, branches whipping at her jeans and shirt, scratching her face as she ran on blindly. Another shot rang out, and a searing pain shot up her arm.

She fell to the ground and grabbed her left arm in agony. The bastards had nailed her right in the bicep, though as a result of a martial arts training and being the only girl amongst four boys, she didn't cry out. _I've had enough_. Snarling, Alex turned around ready to face whoever came near. It was the man who had aimed at her before, and he stood their smirking at the beaten figure standing in front of him. "You never should have run, boy." _Boy, he needs to get out more. Can't even tell a woman apart… _He readied his pistol at her and was about to fire before Alex shouted, "I'm not a boy, I'm a girl. You wouldn't shoot a woman!" Eyeing her, he lowered his weapon. Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned against a tree and began to examine her arm. _Think, think, think. Play desperate female and then you've got to get out of here._ He came towards her, she put on her most painful expression and let the tears stream down her cheeks. _Not bad, not bad…pain is not good, but think. You need your wits about you, girl._ As he stood in front of her, she promptly brought up her knee to his groin and whacked him on the back of the head, kicking the pistol away from him. Seeing her chance she ran as fast as she could once again.

Tavington groaned, and got up. Anger burned through his eyes as he gave chase again. _This time, _he thought, _I won't be fooled again._

The blood loss weakening Alex, her sight began to get fuzzier as her head started spinning in dizziness. Slowing down, she couldn't even hear the colonel catching up to her as she was almost blinded by pain and lack of blood. And just as he reached her, she promptly passed out. The last sight she saw were eyes as pale as the sky above, glinting in the sunlight.

End Chapter II


	3. Laudanum, my false friend

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in the movie, _The Patriot_. All rights reserved etc.

_A/N: would like to say a special thank you to bizziebee and HiddenOperaAngel for their reviews. It's really encouraging and I truly appreciated it! More reviews will be very helpful! Love constructive criticism _

Fading between light and dark, Alex caught glimpses of faces looking down at her, each one seeming to be different from the last. _Is this how it ends? Am I dead or alive, or perhaps neither heaven nor hell will take me?_ No more thoughts passed through her mind as blackness enveloped her once more.

Some hours later, Alex awoke to the smell of human flesh, the metallic taste of blood thick within the air. _So this is it, I'm in hell. Please may it be purgatory, I don't know what I've done wrong, but if stealing the brownies from the fridge that were meant for the school picnic was so great a sin, in my defence; they were delicious. _Opening her eyes, the vision was blurred and feeling the dizziness return, she slumped back down onto the bed. Sweating and pale-faced, she tried to make out the faces that were surrounding her.

"She lost quite a lot of blood, I managed to extract the bullet and sew up the wound, and the laudanum I administered should be close to wearing off…" said the man to her right. She could make out that he had powdered hair and his white sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, covered in…"Blood!" Alex gasped, her mouth open in horror as she turned to the other side and tried to rise, frantic to get away from the stench of death that engulfed the area. Before she could run, two hands pushed down on her shoulders reawakening her to the pain in her left arm. Her face screwed up in frustration and pain, she made a last futile attempt to fight the force that was pushing her down, but eventually gave up knowing that in her current state, there was no way she could put up any sort of decent resistance.

"Lord Cornwallis wishes to discover the reason as to why she had arrived during the middle of his meeting. This girl could know valuable information, and if so, could cause irrevocable damage to the campaign here in South Carolina. We need to find out what she knows, who she was working for, and then she will be hung. She _must_ stay alive till then!" another man shouted.

"I don't have the time to look after her, those men moaning out there are waiting their turn to receive medical treatment! I don't have the facility to keep watch on a spy or for her to take up hospital room!" the man Alex perceived to be the doctor, shouted.

"Then we will move her to Fort Carolina, where she can be easily watched. You, lieutenant, inform…" The man continued to issue his orders as Alex struggled to clear her mind. But once again, she fell out of the light and into blackness.

Something warm rested on her face, opening her eyes, Alex looked out into the clear, sun-filled sky, a gentle breeze gliding into the room. _So lovely, the way the nature here is almost perfectly preserved. It's such a nice change from the city._ Sitting up, she felt a pain shoot up her left arm and winced, making a mental note to put no weight on it for the time being. Slowly, she got out of the bed and walked towards the door, her right arm reaching out for the handle. Suddenly, the door burst open and hit her right in the face. "Can you stop hurting me! Who the hell bursts through doors like that? Why…" but she couldn't finish her sentence as the man she recognised as the owner of the voice in the hospital said "She's awake, inform my Lord General that the prisoner is ready for interrogation." Not knowing what to do, Alex backed away slowly from the man and crouched in the far corner of the room. The next minute, two more soldiers filed in and proceeded to bind her hands, the coarse rope cutting into the skin. _All suspicions aside, I accept the fact that it is not the twenty-first century. Far-fetched as it is, I have no other way to explain what is going on around me…"_OUCH! Not so rough, it hurts!" she said to the soldier who looked up at her dimly and shrugged, finishing his work.

Once complete, he stepped back and pushed her in front, following the other man who led her down a hallway and stopped outside a room with an imposing mahogany door. Knocking the door, the man then entered with Alex in tow, sitting her down on a chair placed in front of a desk. The same man who had pointed his finger at her yesterday stood facing out the window. Dismissing the others, the man who she had followed here stood behind her chair with one hand on her shoulder. To comfort or to restrain, she didn't know.

Turning around, the older man met her eyes in a manner that made it clear that insolence would not be tolerated. "I am General Lord Cornwallis, commander of His Majesty's forces in South Carolina. General O'Hara tells me that you have recovered sufficiently from the hospital, so that interrogation may proceed. I advise you to cooperate. Should you decide not to, I need not remind you the consequences for obstinacy." He said, sitting with his hands clasped in front of him.

For lack of a better response, Alex simply had her eyes fill with tears. Twenty-two was far too young to die, least of all in a time when she had no family _Well…that's alive…yet_.

"So, shall we proceed? Your name?" asked Cornwallis.

"Alexandra Horatia Thurston." whispered Alex, her mouth dry from fear. Her tongue felt limp in her mouth, as if no will of her own could conjure it to move.

"Can you repeat that, please?"

Wetting her lips, she attempted to speak in a loud, clear voice "Alexandra Horatia Thurston" _Mother, why Horatia? They read out names at execution…hopefully I'll die of embarrassment first._

"What were you doing in my head quarters, Miss Thurston?" he asked, not unkindly.

_Well, better lay down all the cards._ "It's the Right Honourable, if you please my Lord." She said, her mind racing trying to formulate a plan.

"You are not American?" he said, looking up at O'Hara in confusion.

"No, sir. British born and bred." She said evenly.

"Then may I ask what you are doing in his Majesty's colonies, in clothing that…well, is hardly decent for a woman, let alone for one in your status. Do you have any proof of your lineage?" he asked, all the more kindly now.

Reaching round the back of her neck, she attempted to unclasp the necklace that hung around her neck, but her bound hands wouldn't let her get a grip on the clasp. "My Lord, would it be possible for my hands…I can't get this necklace…"

"Yes, of course. O'Hara, see to it at once." Immediately, O'Hara began to untie the ropes around Alex's hands. Once free she immediately held her bruised and bloodied wrists and began massaging them, trying to ease the ache that had settled there. Reaching back, she managed to unclasp the necklace and gave it to O'Hara who promptly stepped up to Cornwallis and handed it over.

"Mother didn't think a signet ring was appropriate for a young lady, so I was given this instead. It's the family crest." She said, hoping that this may convince him not to hang her _That's great Alex, you show one guy what your closest friends don't even know. Maybe you'll get death by firing squad instead…Reminds me of that Blackadder episode when….PAY ATTENTION MIND!_

Shaking her head, she looked back at the General, who appeared satisfied with what she had presented.

"My dear, I am sincerely sorry for the way you have been treated. But how does that explain your sudden appearance in my office yesterday?"

"There's only one type of woman that would be sniffing around officers like that, my Lord." said O'Hara looking at Alex with absolute disgust.

Horror struck, she stared at him with her mouth open and her temper soared. She hated that bloody woman for getting her into this mess, asking her to 'look at a _few_ artifacts', my arse, more like every single one in the house! She had been shot, given laudanum, hands bound together, humiliated by her mother's absurd naming and she had... "ENOUGH!" she shouted. Shocked, the two men could only stare as Alex sprung up and began pacing the room.

"I don't know why, or for what purpose I came here. I have no idea where I am! I don't even come from this time, please," she gasped looking at Cornwallis, "I went to boarding school for seven years before I went to University at Oxford. I have a degree in history and have since been doing research for various persons on the origin and history of certain artifacts. Before that I was working at the British Museum for Christ's sake! It was 2006 when I left, see? I have proof!" she frantically started to tear off her wrist watch and gave it to Lord Cornwallis. "Look at my clothes, denim, made in Argentina—it's not even a country yet! And this, too! My driver's license and credit card, they cannot be from this time." She sobbed, all the while taking these items and putting them on the desk. "Do you not understand? I WANT TO GO HOME. MY FAMILY ISN'T EVEN ALIVE, and I feel so lost…" she finished weakly, collapsing to the floor crying.

Cornwallis and O'Hara stared at the items in their hands, unable to believe their eyes. "You cannot ask me to believe this," Cornwallis whispered. "This is just…not natural."

"I'm not asking you to determine whether or not it's natural, I'm telling you the truth. I have no other explanation." She sobbed. Scared, hurt, and under the threat of death, her emotions wracked her body, making her body retch with sobs.

"My dear, please. Stop. All my lessons say that I cannot believe this ludicrous tale, but," he said walking over to her, "it appears that there _is_ no other explanation. I think it best that we do not have the men know, outside of O'Hara and I, hm?" he said, lifting her chin with his finger.

Her eyes met his, the gratitude seeping out of themAlex looked up for a moment longer, and what she saw scared her like nothing else. Cornwallis' eyes changed from kind to angry, and pushed her away, Alex tumbling to the ground.

"I have never known anything more absurd in my life. Tales full of rot! Wrong times and nonsense of nobility, you shall not deceive me, madam!" His eyes burned with anger. Shocked at the change, Alex could only beg "My Lord, please tell me the date, I can tell you what will happen next in the war. Please!"

"So now you're a gypsy soothsayer as well as a lady, yes? I will not tolerate such lies and insolence!" he shouted, his voice taking on a harsh quality that wasn't there before.

"Please, what year is it? That's all I ask!" Alex begged, her hands together whilst O'Hara held her back from the desk.

"1778." He spat out.

"1778, 1778….think Alex think" she shouted. "Ah! I know, I know you're going after Greene's armies, the battle will take place in the …." As she shouted, Alex thought _I want to live! He must believe me now._

"So you're saying that you know the outcome, and the location."

"Yes! I also know you will have an officer transfer in, Washington is deliberating…" she continued

After several minutes of silence, Cornwallis said. "You have told me nothing that has led me to believe that you are nothing more than a spy. Take her away." He said dismissing Alex.

Throwing her last trump card, Alex shouted "Your wife sir, Jemima. She's dying sir, isn't she? I know you wished to be there for her but you couldn't as often as you liked. It was a broken heart more than anything else sir, I'm sorry she was so bedridden in the last weeks of her life. Your children haven't even come home from school, have they?" she said.

Cornwallis froze, and turned. "What did you say? How did you know about, Jem…" but he couldn't finish his words. His eyes were filled with emotion.

"Sir, please. Send one troop of infantry around the back of the hill. Colonials will be stationed there, and will fire down on your troops. It is imperative you claim the hills. Please, and I know Sir Henry Clinton was more than a hindrance to your campaign." She said, quietly. "Please, just remember that."

O'Hara turned to take Alex away but Cornwallis stopped him, "Wait," he said "take her to the guestroom on the east side of the house. I place her under your custody, O'Hara." Turning to Alex, he said, "So, she will die?"

Looking into his eyes, she said "Yes, sir."

"Very well. O'Hara, please…" motioning to O'Hara to take Alex away, he sat down at his desk, hands trembling.

_A/N: I'm sorry for any historical inaccuracies. If there are any gross errors, let me know. If not, please forgive  for the sake of fiction. –EponaRegina._


End file.
